System for removing from or placing pipe in a well bore



July 6, 1965 J. w. KENNEDAY ETAL 3, 93,116

SYSTEM FOR REMOVING FROM OR PLACING PIPE IN A WELL BORE Filed Nov. 25,1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l4 CROWN BLOCK TRANSFER PULLEYS 46 osnmcx IO DEADLINE 4 SPLIT BIOZCK 41D TRANSFER 26 ELEVATOR POWER 36 WA DRILLER 42 iFLOOR 34 DRAW-WORKS POWER 20 SLIPS I I III v 1; I I I .l"..- AuToM/mc w'1 PIPE TROUGH I; l I 7 I V l 2 ROTARY JOHN w. KENNEDAYJ BY WILLIAMC.L'|NDSEY,

ATTORNEY July 6, 1965 J. w. KENNEDAY ETAL 3,193,116

SYSTEM FOR REMOVING FROM on PLACING PIPE IN A WELL BORE Filed Nov. 25,1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 CROWN BLOCK TRANSFER PULLEYS FIG- 2- TRANSFERELEVATOR J STABALIZING PIPE SPLIT BLOCK MOVING novm FLOOR-MAN AUTOMATIC=5 PIPE TROUGH ""H' fl 54 lllllll-llllllll TRANSFER ROTARY HOISTS 50JOHN W. KENNEDAY.

B WILLIAM C. LINDSEY 7 M 3,1421

ATTORNEY.

.1955 J. w. KENNEDAY ETAL 3,193,116

SYSTEM FOR REMOVING FROM OR PLACING PIPE IN A WELL BORE Fil ed Nov. 25.1962 4 Sheets-Sheet s TRANSFER PULLEYS TRANSFER ELEVATO PIPE LOWERINGINTO TROUGH JOHN w. KENNEDAY; Y WILLIAM ouuossv.

IMA ,M M'VM PIPE TROUGH 54 ATTORNEY- July 6, 1965 J. w. KENNEDAY ETAL3,193,116

SYSTEM FOR REMOVING FROM OR PLACING PIPE IN A WELL BORE Filed NOV. 23,1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.7.

INVENTORS. JOHN W. KENNEDAY, BY WILLIAM C-LINDSEY,

f 1PM ALTA ATTORNEY United States Patent SYSTEM FOR REMOVING FROM ORPLACING PIPE IN A WELL BORE John W. Kenneday and William C. Lindsey,Corpus Christi, Tex., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Esso 7Production Research Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of DelawareFiled Nov. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,750 2 Claims. (Cl. 2142.5)

This invention relates to workover rigs for use in oil and gasproduction. More particularly, this invention is anew and improvedsystem for removing pipe from a wellor placing pipe into a well.

Three and four man crews are presently employed on workover rigs withlabor being a major expense. The system proposed herein for picking upand laying down pipe requires only two crewmen and may readily adaptedto existing rigs.

The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be understood byreference to the following detailed description and drawings in which:

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are elevational views showing system in various stagesof removing pipe from a well;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of a portion of theapparatus shown in FIGS. l, 2, and 3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the power system for independentlyoperating the transfer elevators used in handling the pipe.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, amast or derrick 10 is shown supported on a platform 12. Mounted on thetop of the derrick 10 is a crown block including a plurality of pulleys14 (only one being shown) on shaft 16. A main elevator line 18 isconnected to and wound on draw works 20. The draw works 20 controls theoperation and vertical movement of the split traveling block 22supported by line 18.

The split traveling block 22 has depending therefrom a pair of hookedmembers 26 (see FIG. 6) each of which supports a main elevator bail 28.Each of the main elevator bails 28 is connected to a ring member 30extending outwardly from the main elevator 32.

The new system includes a first transfer elevator 34, shown in FIG. 1 inposition beneath the collar 36 of pipe 38, and a second transferelevator 40 shown in FIG. 1 connected to a hook 42 located on the powertongs 44. The hook 42 may be located in any place convenient to thefloorman. Transfer elevator 34 has its bail 35 connected to transferline 37 with transfer line 37 extending upwardly over one of the pulleysof a double pulley system 46 and downwardly to transfer hoist drum 39.Transfer elevator 40 has its bail 41 connected to transfer line 43 whichextends over the other pulley in the double pulley system 46 anddownwardly to the transfer hoist drum 45.

A rotary table 50 and power operated pipe slips 52 are also included onthe platform 12. A powered automatic pipe trough 54 is used to receiveeach pipe joint as the pipe joint is lowered by one of the transferelevators 34 or 40.

As shown in FIGS 4, 5, and 6, each collar type tranfer elevator has abore sufficiently small in diameter so that the transfer elevator whenlatched engages the lower shoulder formed by the under part of the pipecollar 36. The split traveling block 22 is provided with suflicientspace 56 (see FIG. 5) to permit the transfer elevators and pipe collarsto pass through the traveling block 22.

The main elevator 32 is provided with a bore 58. (See FIG. 6.) Thediameter of the bore 58 is shorter than 3,193,116 Patented July 6, 1965the outside diameters of the transfer elevators. Thus, the elevators 34and 40 are adapted to rest upon the main elevator 32. However, thediameter of the bore 58 is greater than the diameter of the collar onthe pipe so that the collar can pass through the main elevator 32.

In operating the new system to pull or remove pipe, the floormanoperates the transfer elevators 34 and 4t), hoist drums 39 and 45, andpower tongs 44. The power slips 52 and draw works 20 are operated by thedriller.

As shown in FIG. 1, with the main elevator 32 below the collar 36, thefloorman latches the transfer elevator 34 on pipe 38 between the mainelevator 32 and the pipe collar 36. The hydraulic hoist drum 39 is setat this time to lift a load slightly less than the weight of a joint ofpipe so that when raised, the joint of pipe is supported in an uprightposition but will not jump free when the joint is disconnected. Thedriller then raises the pipe 38 by operating the draw works 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the slips 52 are then set and the traveling block 22lowered below the collar 36. The hydraulic hoist drum 39 holds thetransfer elevator 34 in place as the split traveling block 22 and mainelevator 32 are lowered by the driller. As the main elevator 32 islowered, the floorman backs out pipe 38 with the auto matic power tongs44.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pipe section 38 has been disconnected and thepower tongs 44 disengaged by the floorman. While this is being done, thedriller has operated the draw works 20 to lower the main elevator 32 tobelow the collar 60 of pipe section 48. The floorman then latches thesecond transfer elevator 40 around the pipe section 48 between thecollar 60 and the main elevator 32 and directs his attention to layingdown the pipe section 38 in the pipe trough 54. The floorman thenremoves the transfer elevator 34 from the pipe 38 and places it on thehook 42. Meanwhile, the driller operates the draw works 20 to raise thepipe 48; and then the power slips 52 are released. Pipe section 48 isthen raised to the position assumed by pipe section 38 in FIG. 2, andthe power slips 52 are again engaged to support the pipe string.

The above series of steps is then repeated using transfer elevator 40instead of transfer elevator 34. The steps are continuously repeatedalternately using transfer elevator 34 and transfer elevator 40 untilthe entire pipe string is removed.

When running pipe, as a joint in the derrick is lowered, the floormanpicks up a joint from the trough 54 using one transfer elevator andhydraulic hoist. The driller sets the slips 52; the floorman stabs thejoint and removes the lower transfer elevator. As the split travelingblock 22 and main elevator 32 are raised, the floorman makes up thejoint in the derrick with the automatic power tongs 44. The drillerpicks up the joint and releases the slips 52. Then the cycle isrepeated.

FIG. 7 shows the system for operating the transfer hoist drums 39 and 45which control transfer, elevator lines 37 and 43, respectively.Hydraulic or pneumatic power is fed to a control box 70 throughhydraulic or pneumatic power line 72. Control knob 74 controls the powerfed through line 76 to control hoist drum 39. Control knob 78 controlsthe hydraulic or pneumatic power fed through line 80 to control hoistdrum 45. Each control knob has:

(1) A tension position which is used to hold the pipe upright whendisconnecting or connecting the pipe while in an upright position;

(2) A pickup position used to transfer the pipe from the derrick to thetrough; and

(3) A slack-off posit-ion used to return the transfer elevator from thetop of the derrick to a position to engage another pipe joint collar.

Tong control knob til controls the application of power from and placingpipeti-n a wellicomprisingz a main ele-' vator provided with-a boreilarge enoughto provide s-uffi-e cient inside:diameter to passbthepipe-collars; arpairof transfer elevators, each transfer'elevator havingan out-. w 1

side diameter sufiicientlyila-rgee to permitengagernent with the mainelevator and having a bore sufficiently small in diameter to engagebeneath. the pipe collars; acrown block; a double pulley amountedOn'the'derrick adjacent.

the top thereof; a draw works-onthe floor of the derrick;

transfer hoists on the floor or the derrick; a' pipe trough locatedadjacent the floor of the derrickyrneans including a main elevatorline-connected to the drawworksxand depending from the crown block, andcontrolled rby the drawworks, for raising and lowering the mainelevator; at

first transfer line connected to the transfer hoists'and extendingaround the double pulley'a'nd connected't'o one of the transferelevators and, controlled by-the transfer hoists for. raising pipefrornthe'well and lowering said pipe in the pipe trough;;and a secondtransfer line con-' nected to the transfer hoists and extending aroundthe double pulley and connected totheother transfer eleva-' I tor andCOIIHOHEdzbY the transfer hoists for raising pipe fromthe well andlowering said pipe in the pipe trough", i

2. A system for use on a1 well derrick fon-removing the transferelevators and to the tongs through lines 84 and 86. Rack control knobpipe collars to pass therethrough;-a r nain'elevator suspended from theblock member and having a vbore with a diameter larger than the diameterof the collars and shorter than the outside diameters of the transferelevators; a crown block; a double pulley mounted on the vderrickadjacent the top thereof; a drawworks on the floor of the derrick;transfer hoists on the floor of the derrick; a pipe trough locatedadjacent the floor of thegderriick; a main elevator {line ,conneeteditothe bl-ockmemher and depending from the crown block and controlledby'the draw works forraising and lowering the main elevator; a firsttransfer line connected to the transferhoists and extending around thedouble pulley and connected to one of the transfer elevators andcontrolled by the transfer hoists for raising pipe from the well andlowering'said pipein the pipe trough;

Y an-da second transfer line connected to'the transfer hoists fR fj et lC t g y he mama UNITED STATES PATEN'rsg HuGoo. sctturz, P tt-yEaczirniner i MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner the well and lowering said

1. A SYSTEM FOR USE ON A WELL DERRICK REMOVING FROM AND PLACING PIPE INWELL COMPRISING: A MAIN ELEVATOR PROVIDED WITH A BORE LARGE ENOUGH TOPROVIDE SUFFICIENT INSIDE DIAMETER TO PASS THE PIPE COLLARS; A PAIR OFTRANSFER ELEVATORS, EACH TRANSFER ELEVATOR HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETERSUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO PERMIT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MAIN ELEVATOR ANDHAVING A BORE SUFFICIENTLY SMALL IN DIAMETER TO ENGAGE BENEATH THE PIPECOLLARS; A CROWN BLOCK; A DOUBLE PULLEY MOUNTED ON THE DERRICK ADJACENTTHE TOP THEREOF; A DRAW WORKS ON THE FLOOR OF THE DERRICK; TRANSFERHOISTS ON THE FLOOR OF THE DERRICK; A PIPE THROUGH LOCATED ADJACENT THEFLOOR OF THE DERRICK; MEANS INCLUDING A MAIN ELEVATOR LINE CONNECTED TOTHE DRAW WORKS AND DEPENDING FROM THE CROWN BLOCK AND CONTROLLED BY THEDRAW WORKS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE MAIN ELEVATOR; A FIRST TRANSFERLINE CONNECTED TO THE TRANSFER HOISTS AND EXTENDING AROUND THE DOUBLEPULLEY AND CONNECTED TO ONE OF THE TRANSFER ELEVATORS AND CONTROLLED BYTHE TRANSFER HOISTS FOR RAISING PIPE FROM THE WELL AND LOWERING SAID